


Put Out the Flame

by JasnNCarly



Series: Tad and Cara Collection [1]
Category: All My Children
Genre: 10 Sentences, F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-11
Updated: 2011-10-11
Packaged: 2020-05-16 16:28:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19321870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Now that Dixie has returned, Cara tries to give Tad an out of their marriage.





	Put Out the Flame

**Free** : He deserved to have the kind of happiness others could only dream of, a man so selfless deserved some kind of reward that wasn’t a marriage of convenience; therefore, she attempted to bow out as graceful as possible, “She’s the love of your life, and I want you to be happy.”  
  
 **Performance** : “I will find a way to make—my life work without destroying yours” Cara stood strong, signaling him to stay back every time he tried to take a step forward; Tad gave in, part of him still too stuck on Dixie’s return, as he accepted her decision with a look elsewhere.  
  
 **Contemplate** : At times, it felt real – perfect even – as he watched her with their daughter, missing not one beat even though years had passed; but, when he sat in the silent living room at night, all he could hear was the echo of Cara’s laugh.  
  
 **Speak** : Tad and Cara could only manage a ‘hi’ in passing, neither offering small talk in fear of apology; instead, they left it at that and retreated to their separate corners – both trying not to break down the second they had to acknowledge they were on the verge of a real divorce.  
  
 **Repeat** : “I can’t do this” the words tumbled out of his mouth as her lips left his, a piece of him dying at the proclamation; Dixie’s eyes sought his, tearful and lost, with one inquiry,  _Why?_  
  
 **Task** : “I’m always going to love you, Dixie, in a way that consumes a part of me, but it isn’t enough anymore” that was as honest as he could be; too much time had passed, leaving him to still feel lost and uncertain with her hand holding on tightly to his, “We can’t be together again.”  
  
 **Nostalgia** : “It does something to you, makes you think you can somehow change one thing and make everything better” her heart fluttered at his rambling, something in her hopeful that the impossible had happened – a part of her praying their marriage was not over.  
  
 **Match** : “I want to be your husband, Cara, still…if you’ll have me” with those words she fell into his embrace, unleashing the tears she had fought so hard to restrain; when Tad’s arms surrounded her, she exhaled with a confession, “I want you as my husband, but only if it’s for the right reasons.”  
  
 **Awake** : The nightmares would not go away, little chips at her armor that insisted Cara would have the world knock her down again; the world disappeared in entirely different way than expected as she found herself secure within his embrace, safe in the bed with him.  
  
 **Seal** : His bride looked more radiant than ever as she waddled down the aisle, six months pregnant, and presented a smile through genuine tears of happiness; while the church may have been empty, only her proud brother observing this second ceremony, Tad felt like the world was in approval of his marriage to Cara – promising his heart that he would never have to look for a home beyond her brown eyes.


End file.
